Releasing gear for use with lowering apparatus



L. H. ROBINSON RELEASING GEAR FOR USE WITH LOWERING APPARATUS April 29, 1930.

Filed April 18. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet lA/VE/V TOR L H. 903/460. 5y I;

ATTORNEY April 29, 193.0. L. H. ROBINSON RELEASING GEAR FOR USE WITH LOWERING APPARATUS Filed April 18, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 29, 1930 LESLIE HAM-PTGN ROBINSON, OF CHESWICK, LONDGEL EN GLAND RELEASHIG GEAR- FOR USE WIIH LOFMERING APPARATUS Application filed April 18, 1928, Se-ria1 No. 356,245, and in ,Great Britain April 19;, 1328 This invention relates to improvements in releasmg hooks for cranes and hke, and has more especial application to hooks employed in connection with the lowering "and releasing of ships boats. U V

Customarily such hooks are provided at each end of the boat and operated simultaneously by the release gear within the boat on the boat being waterborne, the difiiculty in operation has prevailed when the boat is at an inclination as regards the lowering force. The present invention has for its main ob-' ject to ensure positive operation and smooth release of the hooks in spite of any inclination I of the boat, and a second object is to provide an arrangement-in which all strain is removed from the operating parts and taken by the structural elements of the supports, so that danger of fracture, hitherto a considerable drawback, is eliminated.

A further object is toprevent any possibility of the hooks inadvertently being slipped before the boat becomes waterborne and the release eiiected, and a still further object is I to permit of the hooks being arranged with their mouths facing in opposite directions where desired without reducing security or facility of release.

Applying the invention to the customary form of hook in whichthe shackle depends from above and the hook is attached by a pivot in its shank to the boat gear, the shank of each hook is in accordance with the present invention provided with a projection in the 5 form of a tail and a hook support is pro-' vided with a pin or the like with which said projection abuts to thereby prevent movement of the hook.

The projection is arranged not to interfere with the control release movement of the hook and so is only effective in the direction necessary in cases where both hooks of the boat face in the same direction- I i To provide forconstructions in which the supporting hooks ZfaceLin opposite directions,

in a'preiferred embodiment of the invention,

the link controlling the hook release is provided with an abutment, normally occupying a recess in the hook and preventing any in addition to the aforementionedprojection,

possibility of the hook rocking sufliciently to permit of the shackle being released, so that the movement of the hook in either direction is prevented. On the control mechanism being operated, its initial movement causes the link abutment to clear the hook recess so that the hook isthen tree to move, as occurs on the complete movement of the control, when the shackle can be withdrawn from the hook,

Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings where embodiments of the v 4 being a front elevation of one of the standards supporting the release gear, and Figs. 5 and 6 illustrating the release mechanism in side elevation, the two hooks being shown opening in the same direction as approved by the board of trade.

It will be understood that the mechanism adopted for ensuring the simultaneous operation, particularly as regards release of the vhooks associated with the release gear fore and aft of the ships boats respectively, does not constitute part of the inventioin'as it has previously been proposed, and thefinvention is directedto the release apparatus so that it will not fail in any position.

Referring now to the drawings, but first more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 1 and 2 are intended to represent'shackles of the kind usually secured to the blocks of the lowering falls depending from the ships davits, theseshackles l and 2 carrying the ships .boat :8 by means of hooks 4 and 5 pivoted respectively at the upper ends of supporting posts is a sectional elevation througha l 6 illustrate a modified con- M or standards 6, '2', suitably secured to the boat 3, preferably to the keelson 8 thereof, as indicated at 9 and 10. i

' To comprehend the invention, it should be explained with the known apparatus tubes 24, 25, extending from one end of the boat 8 at or near the control member 13 for a hook at that end to the other end of the boat at or near a corresponding control member 13 for a, second hook, and chains 22, 23, passing 1 through the said tubes and connected to control members 13, whereby movement of the control member13 at one end which directly operates the hook 4 at that end is transmitted to the control member 13 at the other end of the boat.

The hooks are pivoted at 12 to suspension bars 6, 7, connected to the boat at each end, and the hooks being of the tumbling or partially rotating type, are formed so as to be incapable of rotation, while the boat is suspended therefrom in a horizontal plane, but which hooks can be rotated. as soon as the boat is waterborne so as to be released from r the supporting shackles. The means by which this was done hitherto comprised straight control levers 13 pivoted at 14 which when operated by the chains pulled down the links 15 by means of the pins 16, and pulled the hook 4 (see Fig. 1) in an anticlockwise rotation, whensince the weight was removed from the shackle 1it was free to come clear, as it could then pass the mousing tumbler 11, which in earlier forms was much narrower.

In such a construction any angular strain imparted to the hook 4 from an angle on the right of the vertical threw a great strain on the links 15 under which they were apt to fail, and in accordance with the present invention the hook 4 is provided with a frontal abutment or projection 17 in the form of a tail, and the pin 18 is secured in the support 6 below the main pivot pin 12 so that any'angular effort exerted on the hook from the right and tending to turn the hook in a clockwise direction about this pivot 12, causes the abutment 17 to come into contact with the pin 18, which as 'a result transmits any strain direct to the upri ht 6, which is made strong enough to receive same.

Also, according to the invention, in this embodiment where the hooks 4 and 5 face in opposite directions, the lever 13 is provided with a cam projection 19 and a corresponding recess 20 is provided in the lower end of the hook 4, the cam projection 19 on the lever 13 and the recess 20 co-operating, so that in the normal position shown in Fig. 1 any anticlockwise movement of the hook 4 cannot take place owing to the direct abutment of these parts.

7 In this manner regardless of the inclination of the boat 3, and the angle at which the shackles 1 and 2 apply their effort, it is made impossible for the shackles to be released by the hooks 4 and 5 eXceptwhen operated, and even then only when the boat is waterborne.

On the control being operated, i. e. the handle 30 in Fig. 3 moved upwards, the lever 13 during the initial movement of the control assumes the position illustrated in Fig. 2, when the cam projection 19 rides clear of the recess 20 in the hook the engagement 16 between the link 15 and the lever 13 having sufficient lost motion to permit the initial movement of the lever taking place without any control movement being transmitted to the hooks 4 or 5. The hooks 4 and 5 may then freely turn, as occurs on the further move ment of the control mechanism operating through the links 15, and as is well-known, subsequently assume the position in which ready release of the shackles 1 and 2 can be effected on the boat becoming waterborne.

For the purpose of ensuring release of both hooks 4 and 5 simultaneously, the control levers 1.3 of each hook are associated as before mentioned by means of chains 22, 22-3, running in tubes or pipes 24, 25, disposed in the bottom of the boat. It should be noted that this preferred embodiment of release gear can be used either with the hooks fac ing in opposite directions, as shown in F 1 and 2, or with the hooks facing the same way as in Fig. 3, in which latter case the cam projection 19 and co-operative recess 20 are not essential.

Referring now to the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, where the mouths of the two hooks 4 and 5, providing the fore and aft support of the ships boat, face in the same direction, the hooks 4 and 5 are again pivotally'mounted at the upper end of support standards 6 and 7 each comprising a pair of parallel and normally vertical bars 26 and 27, pivotally mounted at their lower end to a bracket 28, which, in Fig. 4, is shown secured to the keelson 8 of the ships boat.

In the illustrated embodiment, Figs. 5 and 6 are intended to represent respectively the aft and fore releasing gears, which with the exception of the control lever 30, are duplicates one of the other, each hook 4 and 5 being mounted on a pin 12 connecting the upper ends of the two bars 26 and 2'? constituting the standard.

The said pin 12 is similar to that mentioned in connection with the previous embodiment, and is of sufiicient strength to support the ships boat when fully loaded. The hooks 4 and 5 are again provided with mousing tumblers 11, which are shown formed of two plates riveted together and mounted on the pin 12 with an intermediate collar or bush 29, which is loose on the pin and which on sures free rotation'of the tumbler 11 thereabout, while preventing any possibility of jamming by side strain on the hook.

The mousing tumblers 11 shown, although nation of the pull is less than consequently there reference to its application to lowering mouth engaging a 011- extend substantially further across the mouths of the hooks than has previously been the case, so that it is impossible for the shackles to be released when the inclia predetermined not new per se,

amount.

As in the previous,-embodiment, release of the hooks is efiected through the lovers 13 pivoted one to each standard 6 and 7, and interconnected move at the same time by means of chains 22, 23, running in tubes or pipes 24, 25.

In this embodiment, that is,withthe hooks land 5 facing in the'same direction, usually forward, no harm accrues from the effort required to support the boat being applied in a direction tending to move the hooks 4 and 5 to their releasing position as a corresponding movement willxoccur in both hooks, and the mousing tumblers 11 are each made of su'fiicient depth to eliminate the possibility of the shackles carrying the hooks being released thereby, except at an angle which can only be attained bythe controlgear.

Should, howevergthe effort be applied'angularly from theopposite direction, that is, from the right in Figs. a'and 5,,in previous constructionsthe strain would be taken by the links 15 and the control mechanism, and would be great danger of serious damage. Such a contingency is, however, avoided, according to the present invention, by the provision of the projection 17 at the foot of each-hook a and 5, which projections are adapted to come into abutment with the pins or stops 18 mounted in the standards 6 and 7 respectively. By this means, as previously mentioned, in connection with Figs. lto 3, the effort is transmit- -i ted directly to the standards 6 and 7, which,

being constructed toxsupport the "boat, are of sutficient strength to accommodate the efi'ort without liability of damage.

Although described 1 with more especial and releasing gear for ships boats, it should be understood that the invention is readily ap plicable to crane, derrick and like mechanism in which the hook member located above it, and may beemployed in the release of seaplanes from ships, ensuring that the grab or hook shall not release its load until such load is taken by .the ground or otherwise removed, and in such constructions the releasing gear may be associated with the grab or hook.

What I claim is:

1. A releasing hook of the kind including load carrying shackle and pivotally mounted so as to release-the shackle on removal of the load by controlled angular movement of the hook, comprising a hook. a shank to said hook, a support, a pivot mounting on said support for said hook, and a tail projection on said shank abutting in the known way so as to is carried on a suspension a hook, a shank to said hook, a support,

a pivot mounting in said support for said hook, an abutment on said support and a tail projection on said shank in engagement with said abutment to take the strain of maintaining the hookin normalposition and remove strain from'the control mechanism associated with said hook on an inclined pull being applied to said hook.

3. A releasing hook or the kind including a mouth engaging aload carrying shackle and pivotally mounted so as to release the shackle on removal of the load by controlled angular movement of the hook, comprising a hook, a support, a pivotmounting in said support for said hook, a tail projection on said hook abutting against said support, a control lever'tor operating said hook, a cam projection on said lever and a recess in said iook normally engaged by said cam projcction to lock the hook in position, but freed on the release movement of saidcontrol lever to permit or the hook being released. 7

4. A releasing hook of the kind includmg a mouth engaging a load carrying shackle and pivotally mounted so as to release the shackle on removal of the load by controlled angular movement of the hook, comprising a hook, a support, a pivot mounting in sai support for said hook, a tail projection on said hook abutting with said support, a control lever pivoted to said support for'opera ting said hook, a cam projection on said lever and a recess gaged by said cam projection to lock thehook in position but freed during the preliminary movement of said lever gular release movement of said hook.

to permit of the anin said hook normally en- I 5. A releasing hook of the kind including a mouth engaging a load'carrying shackle and pivotally mounted so as to release the shackle on removal of the, load by controlled angular movement of the hook, comprising a hook, a shank to said hook, a support, a pivot mounting on said support for said hook, and a tail projection on said shank abutting with said support and removing strain from the operating mechanism associated with said hook on an inclinedpull being applied tosaid hook, and a mousing tumbler pivoted infthe mouth of said hook and extending thereacross so as to prevent release of the hook until after considerable angular movement.

6. Areleasing a mouth engaging. a

hook of the kind including load carrying shackle int and pivotally-mounted so as to release the shackle on removal of the load by controlled the hook, comprising facilitate manipulation.

7. Lowering and releasing gear for ships boats including a pair of supports fore and aft the boat, a hook pivotally mounted on each support and control mechanism within the boat for effecting release of said hooks, each hook comprising a shank, a mouth at the upper end of said shank and a tail projection adapted to abut with said support to prevent the transmission of strain to said control mechanism on the load being applied at an inclination.

8. Loweringand releasing gear for ships boats including a pair of supports fore and Lift the boat, a hook pivotally mounted on each support, each hook facing in the same direction and each comprising a shank and a tail projection on said shank abutting with said'support to maintain the hook in position and remove strain from the operating mechanism.

9. Lowering and releasing gear for ships boats including a pair of supports fore and aft the boat, a hook pivotally mounted on each support, said hooks passing opposite directions and each comprising a hook, a support, a pivot mounting in said support for said hook, a tail projection on said hook abutting against said support, a control lever for operating said hook, a cam projection on said lever and a recess in said hook normally engaged by said cam projection to lock the hook in position, but freed on the release movement of control lever to permit of the hook being released.

10. Lowering and releasing gear for ships boats including a pair of supports fore and aft the boat, a hook pivotally mounted on each support, each hook facing in the same direction and each comprising a shank and a tail projection on said shank abutting with said support to maintain the hook in position, and control mechanism within the boat for simultaneously releasing the hooks by angular movement, on the boat being water borne.

11'. Lowering and releasing gear for ships boats including a pair of supports fore and aftthe boat, a hook pivotally mounted on each support, said hooks passing in opposite directions and each comprising a hook, a

support, a pivot mounting in said support for said hook, a tail projection on said hook abutting against said support, a control lever for operating said hook, a cam projection on said lever and a recess in said hook normally engaged by said cam projection to lock the hook in position, but freed on the release movement of said control lever to permit of the hook being released, and a lost motion connection between said lever and said hook to permit of the preliminary movement of said lever disengaging said cam and allowing angular release movement of said hook.

12.- A releasing book of the kind including a mouth engaging a load carrying shackle and pivotally mounted so as to release the shackle on removal of the load by controlled angular movement of the hook, comprising a hook, a pair of supporting standards, a pivot pin bridging said standards, and carrying said hook, a tail projection to said hook and a second-pin bridging said standards and constituting a stop for said projection to remove strain from the control mechanism associated with said hook.

18. A releasing hook of the kind including a mouth engaging a load carrying shackle and pivotally mounted so as to release the shackle on removal of the load by controlled angular movement of the hook, comprising a book, a pair of supporting standards, a pivot pin bridging said standards, and carrying saidhook, a tail projection to said hook, a second pin bridging said standards and a mousing tumbler mounted on said pivot pin and extending across the mouth of said hook to prevent release of the hook until after considerable angular movement.

14. A releasing hook of the kind including a mouth engaging a load carrying shackle and pivotally mounted so as to release the shackle on removal of the load by controlled angular movement of the hook, comprising a hook, a pair of supporting standards, a pivot pin bridging said standards and carrying said hook, a tail projection to said hook, a second pin bridging said standards and a control lever for operating said hook, a cam projection on said control lever and a recess in said hook normally engaged by said cam projection to lock the hook in position but freed on the release movement of the control lever to permit angular movement of the hook.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LESLIE HAMPTON ROBINSON. 

